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The Fatigue Fixer

The Fatigue Fixer

By: Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur Story Studio Network
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Join Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur, a Naturopathic Doctor who's been the guiding light for thousands of women struggling with fatigue for over a decade. Dr. Sarah challenges the common misconception that feeling drained equates to being flawed. In "The Fatigue Fixer", she offers insights into our body's messages, reminding us that our tiredness isn't a sign of weakness, but a signal of misalignment. By truly understanding and caring for our bodies, we can navigate the road to better energy.

In a world filled with immeasurable expectations, Sarah aims to support every woman, from the hands-on mom to the aspiring Prime Minister. Dive in as we dissect the physical, emotional and societal pressures draining our energy, and together, shift the narrative around fatigue. Your exhaustion has a story; let's rewrite it together.

Get your daily dose of fatigue fixing tips over on Dr. Sarah’s Instagram @sarahvadeboncoeur or visit her website at www.docereclinic.ca to learn more about how you can work with her. Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • 53. The One About Getting Out of Fight or Flight Mode with Valerie Beaulieu

    53. The One About Getting Out of Fight or Flight Mode with Valerie Beaulieu
    Jul 1 2026
    Nervous system dysregulation, chronic pain, migraines, fatigue, and perfectionism are all connected in ways most of us were never taught to understand.In this episode, I sit down with Valerie Beaulieu (former Athletic Therapist, Migraine and Neuroplasticity Expert) to explore what the nervous system actually does, what nervous system dysregulation looks like in real life, and why so many high-achieving women find themselves stuck in cycles of exhaustion, pain, people-pleasing, and survival mode.We discuss the role fear plays in chronic symptoms, how fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses show up in everyday life, and why silence can feel so uncomfortable when your nervous system is constantly scanning for danger. Valerie also shares the latest thinking on neuroplastic pain, including how the brain can continue to generate pain signals even after an injury has healed, and how our beliefs, emotions, and internal narratives can influence healing.If you've ever wondered why you feel stuck despite doing all the "right" things, this conversation offers a fascinating perspective on the connection between your brain, body, emotions, and energy.Key Takeaways:Your nervous system is constantly gathering information and determining whether you are safe or under threat.Many women spend years operating in survival mode without realizing it.Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses can show up as perfectionism, overworking, people-pleasing, procrastination, or feeling stuck.Fear is often at the root of chronic stress patterns, even when it appears as anger, guilt, shame, or frustration.The stories and beliefs you attach to your symptoms can influence how your brain experiences pain and fatigue.Neuroplastic pain is real pain generated by learned brain pathways rather than ongoing tissue damage.Chronic pain and chronic fatigue are not "all in your head," but your brain plays an important role in how symptoms are experienced.Additional Episodes You Might Enjoy: 32. The One That Sets The Record Straight on Cortisol45. The One Where You Feel Safe To Speak Up with Elise Besler22. The One Where You Take Care of Everyone But Yourself with Amanda RocheleauConnect with Valerie:Valerie Beaulieu is a former Athletic Therapist, Migraine and Neuroplasticity Expert with over 17 years of experience helping people overcome acute sports-related injuries, chronic pain, and stress-related symptoms. After years of working with everyone from everyday individuals to Olympic athletes, she discovered that achieving freedom from chronic pain and symptoms goes far beyond the physical body and is deeply connected to the brain, nervous system, emotions, and identity patterns.Today, Valerie specializes in helping women break free from chronic migraines, pain, and symptoms by retraining the brain and nervous system through a powerful mind-body approach. Through her speaking, coaching, and signature R.I.S.E. program, she empowers women to stop living in survival mode, regain trust in their bodies, and reclaim agency over their health and lives.Linktree: Linktr.ee/ValerieMindBodyRxIG: @valerie_mindbody_coachFB: Valerie Beaulieu - Mind-Body Living RxYouTube: Valerie Beaulieu | Rise Above Pain💌 Leave Me a Voicemail!I want to hear from YOU!Share your questions, stories, or thoughts about this episode — your message might even be featured on a future show.Leave me a voicemail here: Speakpipe.com/TheFatigueFixerDr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur is a Naturopathic Doctor, mom, and fatigue fixer who’s on a mission to help women fix their fatigue and get the health care they deserve. You can find her talking about all things fatigue on Instagram and learn more about her services at drsarahv.ca.The Fatigue Fixer is produced by Story Studio Network.
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    48 mins
  • 52. The One Where Insulin Resistance is Stealing Your Energy

    52. The One Where Insulin Resistance is Stealing Your Energy
    Jun 17 2026
    💌 Leave Me a Voicemail!

    I want to hear from YOU!
    Share your questions, stories, or thoughts about this episode — your message might even be featured on a future show.

    Leave me a voicemail here: Speakpipe.com/TheFatigueFixer

    If you’re struggling with fatigue, abdominal weight gain, brain fog, and cravings, you may be dealing with a very common metabolic dysfunction: insulin resistance.

    In this episode, Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur unpacks one of the most common—but often overlooked—causes of low energy: insulin resistance. You'll learn what insulin resistance actually is, why it can develop years before prediabetes, how muscle, sleep, stress, and hormones influence blood sugar regulation, and which lab tests can help identify it early. Most importantly, you'll walk away with practical, sustainable strategies to improve insulin sensitivity without restrictive diets or all-or-nothing thinking.

    If you've ever been told your blood sugar is "normal" but you still feel exhausted, this episode is for you.


    Key Takeaways:
    • Insulin resistance often develops years—or even decades—before prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed.
    • Normal blood sugar does not necessarily mean your insulin levels are normal.
    • Common symptoms include:
      • Afternoon energy crashes
      • Brain fog
      • Increased cravings for sugar or carbohydrates
      • Feeling irritable or "hangry" when meals are delayed
      • Weight gain around the midsection
    • Muscle acts as one of the body's biggest glucose sinks, making strength training and movement powerful tools for prevention.
    • Chronic stress, poor sleep, perimenopause, PCOS, a history of gestational diabetes, and certain medications can all increase risk.
    • Waist circumference is one of the strongest predictors of future insulin resistance and metabolic disease.
    • Whether or not Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are helpful for understanding your blood sugar levels
    • Which exact labs can show early signs of insulin resistance

    Resources & Additional Episodes:
    • Download my free lab guide The Missing Piece, to learn which lab markers every woman should know, and the optimal ranges I use in clinical practice.
    • 32. The One That Sets The Record Straight on Cortisol
    • 47. The One Where I Changed My Mind About Cholesterol
    • 44. The One Where Exercise Stops Feeling So Hard


    Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur is a Naturopathic Doctor, mom, and fatigue fixer who’s on a mission to help women fix their fatigue and get the health care they deserve. You can find her talking about all things fatigue on Instagram and learn more about her services at drsarahv.ca.

    The Fatigue Fixer is produced by Story Studio Network.
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • 51. The One Where Fibroids Get Mistreated with Nam Kiwanuka

    51. The One Where Fibroids Get Mistreated with Nam Kiwanuka
    Jun 3 2026
    💌 Leave Me a Voicemail!I want to hear from YOU!Share your questions, stories, or thoughts about this episode — your message might even be featured on a future show.Leave me a voicemail here: Speakpipe.com/TheFatigueFixer------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Fibroids, heavy periods, iron deficiency, anemia, exhaustion, women’s health, and medical dismissal are at the center of this powerful conversation with Nam Kiwanuka, award-winning journalist and host of the podcast '(MIS)Treated'.Nam shares her deeply personal experience navigating years of debilitating symptoms, severe blood loss, and repeated dismissal within the healthcare system, before finally receiving appropriate care for fibroids. Together, we explore the enormous physical, emotional, financial, and systemic impact of untreated women’s health concerns — especially for women who have been taught to normalize pain, exhaustion, and suffering.This episode is an honest conversation about what happens when women are not listened to, the shame that often surrounds reproductive health, and why better advocacy, education, and healthcare systems are urgently needed.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Key Takeaways:Fibroids affect a huge percentage of women, yet many still struggle for years to receive appropriate careHeavy periods and severe fatigue are often normalized, even when they are signs of significant blood loss and iron deficiencyMedical dismissal can have profound impacts on a woman’s body, mental health, relationships, career, and overall quality of lifeWomen and minorities were not required to be included in clinical trials until 1993, contributing to major gaps in women’s healthcare researchShame and stigma keep many women from openly discussing symptoms related to menstruation and reproductive healthThe economic costs of untreated women’s health conditions extend far beyond healthcare spending and affect productivity, careers, and familiesStorytelling and lived experience are powerful tools for creating awareness and driving systemic healthcare change------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------You may also enjoy: '(MIS)Treated' hosted by Nam KiwanukaEP 13: The One Where Your Period Is A Pain------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Guest Info:Nam Kiwanuka is an award-winning journalist and the host/producer of TVO’s '(MIS)Treated', a podcast on women's health. She has hosted 'The Thread with Nam Kiwanuka', 'The Agenda in the Summer', and co-hosted 'The Agenda with Steve Paikin'. She also contributes to columns for TVO.org.Originally from Uganda, Nam spent her early years in a refugee camp in Kenya before settling in London, Ontario. She's lived and worked in the UK, the USA, and Sierra Leone. Her remarkable career in journalism includes roles as the first Black woman in Canada to host a magazine sports show with NBAXL and CFL Crunch on Sportsnet, as a VJ / videographer at MuchMusic, and writing a column for the BBC’s 'Focus on Africa'. She's interviewed Britney Spears, Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, and Africa's first female head of state and Nobel Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, plus many more newsmakers. Beyond her professional work, she’s a passionate plant collector with a collection to rival Allan Gardens, and is determined to perfect her chocolate chip cookie recipe.Learn more about '(MIS)Treated': TVO.org/podcasts/mistreated------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur is a Naturopathic Doctor, mom, and fatigue fixer who’s on a mission to help women fix their fatigue and get the health care they deserve. You can find her talking about all things fatigue on Instagram and learn more about her services at drsarahv.ca.The Fatigue Fixer is produced by Story Studio Network.
    Show More Show Less
    50 mins
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